Days 43 and 44 - Exmouth - Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st June 2017

While all of Monday's drama had been unfolding we had also been in touch with our friends Helen and Pete who were now nearby staying at Yardie Homestead just outside of Cape Range National Park. Now that I was on my own they kindly drove into town and collected me to take me back into Cape Range National Park and keep me company for a large part of the day. We first went to a popular snorkeling spot simply called Lakeside and had a go there. Once again were it not for others pointing us  in the right direction we may have missed the coral and fish completely but by walking further down the beach we came to an area with many bommies and lots of attractive fish. Helen and I spent quiet a long time in the water while Pete stayed ashore after a brief foray into the ocean. Following on from this we went back to their campsite at Yardie Homestead and had lunch there before then heading back into Exmouth. In Exmouth we visited the DPWS (Department of Parks and Wildlife Service) office and managed to reallocate the remainder of mine and Sue's future booking at Kurrajong campground into Helen and Pete's name rather than having it go to waste. That done I was returned to the RAC campground while Helen and Pete returned to Yardie Homestaed. Dinner was a chicken curry that Sue had prepared before we'd set out from Melbourne and had lain frozen in our freezer until now. It was very welcome I can assure you. And so ended Tuesday.
Wednesday was spent washing clothing, hanging it out to dry and random chores with one brief walk into town to break the monotony - a coffee at the bakery and something to eat. Reading books also featured highly in my day's activities. This morning's sunrise was something to behold as hopefully the photographs will demonstrate. Emus were out in force in the caravan park today  - they are a delight to watch but they can be a nuisance insofar as they will open anything left out that might contain food as they scavenge around the park.

Day 42 - Osprey Campground Cape Range National Park to Exmouth - Monday 19th June 2017

What a truly dreadful day. Shortly after breakfast this morning we were paid a visit by Donna and George the camp hosts to say that our youngest daughter Sigrid had contacted the Exmouth Shire Ranger to ask that we call her as soon as possible. Now remember that we were some 70 to 80 km from getting any phone reception and you begin to understand how terrifying this scenario is. Fortunately I'd had the foresight to let her know that we would be out of telephone range while in Cape Range National Park and had texted her the Ranger's phone number. I actually thought I'd given her the Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger's number but as it turned out it was the Shire Ranger who doesn't start work until 9 am. Anyway he visited the Department of Parks and Wildlife Office in Exmouth to pass the on the message and they then contacted the camp hosts via radio - the only means of communication. Unfortunately in this process part of the message got lost and that was that Sigrid had said "to not worry i.e. no-one was in hospital, dead etc." So we hurriedly packed up and drove the 80 km until we got phone reception around Vlaming Head Lighthouse. Then we found out from Sigrid that while all was not well on the home front at least there was no need to panic. I won't go into the issues that were raised other than to say that they were of sufficient gravity to warrant us finding a way to have Sue return to the east coast as soon as possible. To that end we drove to the Visitor Information Center in Exmouth who were incredibly helpful in assisting us in booking flight out of Exmouth and on to Sydney via Perth that very afternoon. While waiting for the flight I booked myself and the motor-home into the RAC caravan park again and we went into town for a last coffee together at the bakery. Then we drove the 40 km to Learmonth airport and I watched as Sue boarded her plane and set off to Perth. As you can imagine this was all quite unsettling. The remainder of my day consisted in going back to the caravan park and wandering over to the pub across the road for a burger and chips for dinner.

Day 41 - Osprey Campground Cape Range National Park (with visit to Yardie Creek) - Sunday 18th June 2017

This morning we packed up the motor-home and set off further down the track to Yardie Creek to go for a hike on the Yardie Creek Gorge Walk. While not managing to get to the very end we ventured far enough to enjoy some spectacular views down the gorge. The sheer red cliffs seem to be a nesting place for Ospreys and there were a few circling around overhead while we were there. Down below a small boat with outboard motor made it's way up the creek as we watched from above. After returning to our campsite at Osprey we then went for a snorkel off the beach. Once again we experienced magnificently coloured fish and abundant coral once we had located the bommies. Sue took a little convincing to come out further with me but once she did she wasn't disappointed. We even saw small stingrays buried in the sand and if memory serves me right a turtle swimming parallel to the beach. Back on land we had the first opportunity to use our solar shower with the newly purchased pump and shower head - it worked a treat and we were both able to wash ourselves using only small amounts of water. Once again this evening we had drinks at happy hour with George and Donna and another couple Jim and Karen. Then for dinner I cooked a steak on our Weber Baby Q while Sue prepared the rest. What an excellent day.

Day 40 - Exmouth to Osprey Campground Cape Range National Park - Saturday 17th June 2017

Our brief sojourn in Exmouth came to an end today and we are returning to Cape Range National Park. On the way we first stopped at the Vlaming Head lighthouse from which we had wonderful views back toward Exmouth and also the Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station with it's array of tall towers. Next stop was a short way from the bottom of Lighthouse Hill the Jurabi Turtle Center which was essentially a marquee like structure with information boards and displays about the marine turtles that live here on Ningaloo Reef.  Leaving here we made our way to Mangrove Bay and wandered along the boardwalk for a short while. It hosted a bird hide but no birds were to be seen anywhere. Then it was on to our campsite at Osprey Campground where we had been a few days before. It was still quite windy despite the forecast having promised light winds. Once again we enjoyed happy hour at 5 pm with camp hosts George and Donna and others. This is rather an addictive lifestyle.